I'm wondering if others over the "dreaming", planning, waiting, found that the "dream" transformed, sort of like the kids transformer toys, turning it this way and that way until the pieces fell into place? Yesterday, I decided to just give up since trying to put the "dream" together has been a struggle especially since we added our adult son with DS to the "dream". But, today, I came up with some new dynamics that would bring us back on board with the "dream". We are both 59 and if my husband takes retirement at 62, although lean, we will actually get to have some free time. Holidays are worked with this employer and everyone works at least one weekend day rather than every other weekend. So, that would be a not to be missed. We are thankful he has a job though as I saw that Mars, coming into Topeka, KS, ran a job fair and plan to hire 200 people and they received 2,000 applications. I am the paid Personal Care Assistant for our son and with working with the right people, I might be able to continue to draw those wages, not a first choice in my life and only a fraction of what I used to be paid but still it would allow us to travel, volunteer and "live". Debt-free and always frugal, this looks doable. I am sure we may have to tweak the plan again and again. Plus, today another service provider moved into town for people with needs like our son so maybe they will be a winner, probably not. The ever changing dynamics of a "dream" can kind of drive one a little over the edge on some days. So, don't give up because there is probably an answer.
Lucky Mike said
02:56 AM Nov 19, 2013
sometimes as the dream grows and we get closer to it.....we begin to worry and start with the "What If's" worries.
those worries are healthy but like any worry become amplified just with our thoughts.........you cant cover all the bases.......life in most ways is no different on the road as in a S&B. Money is an issue a savings has to be in place and some type of financial support means has to be there.
the best way is to draw up a basic list of incoming and outgoing finances and see what is normal .......then remove the outgoing money that no longer will be an issue and take your basic budget left........do you have enough?
the only thing on the road that really changes is......Space.....the view.....finances
I feel that we all find our way to make it work.....whether your on the road or in a stick & brick the basics are the same
PIEERE said
03:30 AM Nov 19, 2013
Too me it was how much effort and just how badly I wanted something or to do something! Mike said it; "Plan your finances" and what you will honestly be willing to give up! I ran by the skin of my teeth when the company I worked for downsized when I was just past my 58th Birthday; I was trying to stay until I was 62. Was fortunate had my same old trusty 1988 Cl-C I live in now. I had saved about 2,400.00 and went from Maryland to N. Carolina; settled in for a month and located site for work near Jackson MS. In May 10' I left for a small amount of pay and site/utilities in Altoona; Iowa; then in October I visited my Daughter and grands in Michigan; then in Nov. it was off to KY for work at Amazon.com. which lasted until just before Christmas and I ended down in the Mobile Al. until March and then to a Yogi Park until May 11.
I enjoyed meeting all the RVer work campers like me; some had incomes from savings and retirement; plus what they earned. I had what I earned and enjoyed the travel; but it would have been a financial nightmare if a major component broke on the MH. After doing the rounds one more time; the end of March 12' and the Heart Attack still didn't convince me I could not keep going...then in Bowling Green KY when my health got worse...I came to the conclusion that I needed to leave the work force and seek more medical care. So here I am; not capable of doing what I used to do; trying to stay upbeat and positive some time can be a chore in it's self.
YEAH! I have a dream and keep that "CARROT" dangling in front of me. I keep from being bitter by remembering what I did do back in 1998 when I took My first Work Camp job and I was 47. I had it in my mind that I wasn't going to be the person in my 60's or 70's saying; "Man if Only I had Done That" Or I should have done it back when. I still haven't done all that I wanted and tomorrow is another day....never know what may happen!
Penny and Paul said
04:01 AM Nov 19, 2013
You're not alone. We planned for 6 years, went to rallies, projected budgets, looked at 5 'ers, studied towing data, projected budgets, went to rallies, looked at motorhomes, did the diesel vs gas thing, projected budgets, researched toads, looked into health insurance, calculated our social security, bought a motorhome, projected budgets, sold our house, gave all our stuff away, retired and moved into our HOW, (House On Wheels). Lived in the HOW and workamped for four months where we had a seasonal site, and then spent another month in a nearby state park.
You'd think we had our homework done and our dream all planned out. Nah! A month into our living in our HOW, I (Paul) almost bled to death from a medical condition I have. The procedures to mitigate further bleeds are ongoing. So many things went wrong with the HOW, our toad, and the things we use to prepare for travel that we began to think maybe this wasn't the life we were supposed to live. We ask God to tell us, in no uncertain terms, if he was trying to speak to us through these circumstances, and if so, could he be clearer since we're pretty much deaf. Guess what? More things went wrong. We gave up. We were convinced we were being actively prevented from leaving.
We went as far as to look at some stix n brix to live in and actually put ernest money down on a place. Good thing we projected a budget. Turns out we couldn't afford to do anything other than live the dream. Not for five or six years anyway. So we left, and here we are, on the road. It's worth all the changes, delays, emergencies, failures and doubts.
Life is nothing if not a series of transformations. Do what you have to. Bend like a reed in the wind and you'll find your way.
PS, I grew up with a cousin with DS, and I've met some others likewise afflicted. I truly believe that God uses them to teach the rest of us what love looks like.
bjoyce said
04:34 AM Nov 19, 2013
The down times can also happen much later. We have been fulltimers for over 10 years now, but stuff happens that makes us wonder if we should quit. But we don't. Right now we are into some major expenses with our motorhome, air system, brake, starter and now turbocharger issues. It is delaying our plans, causing distress because of the expense, but we are picking ourselves up and going on.
It does help that we have experienced expensive problems with houses. We also know multiple people who have recently gone off the road and spent a lot of money to get back into housing. Living in a house, apartment or condo is not cheap. Furnishing one is not cheap.
cherylbrv said
08:39 PM Nov 19, 2013
Thank you for starting this thread. Lots of great advice and shared stories here.
My dream is also constantly transforming. We started the dream in 2011. I can quote Paul up until the point of buying his HOW for everything we researched and continue to research. #1 is that we can't buy our HOW until we sell the house, and in order to do that, we need to make a lot of cosmetic repairs to make it marketable (we did explore selling as is, and wouldn't be able to make enough to pay off the mortgage).
Every time we got a little closer to getting another project finished, one more obstacle would get in the way, making us have to rethink the plans.
Even as I write this, yet another wrench has been thrown into the fire. I am about to lose my full time corporate job (which is a blessing because I started a business that I can take on the road with me, but haven't had time to devote to it). Simultaneously, my husband, who has been a freelance field consultant (and whose work has been very unreliable) was offered a full time position. Another blessing because we wouldn't have to worry about the loss of my income while I built my client base, although it would mean postponing getting on the road, as his job could not travel with him.
But now, as I write this, there is a chance that this job offer may not go through after all. This means 2 people with no income. The money we have saved to fix the house will pay the mortgage for only 2 more months. We may be faced with having to sell as is in order not to face foreclosure. And with no jobs, where could we find a place to rent? We can hope that from the sale, we can scrape enough together to find an old, rusted out (ok, maybe a little better condition) Class A, B or C -- that means transforming our dream of a condo on wheels (43' Mobile Suites with separate office space) to something with a bed over the cab, just so we have shelter.
Downright scary, but here again, I agree with Paul - I think everything we experience comes from God. I just wish we weren't so deaf either and knew what was truly meant for us. I hate having to keep changing the plans!
Loretta said
09:56 PM Nov 19, 2013
I was always told that you had to focus on the end result that you wanted and the rest would fall into place. That happened to us and all we knew is that we wanted to full time and retire. I just kept seeing myself traveling down the road adding more state stickers to my map. It all happened so quickly. I put the house on the market, it sold in 5 weeks. The RV we wanted, that sat in the lot for a year, was sold the day we went to buy it. Three others came in that day and we got one of those. I retired and we were on the road all within a months time after closing. Things work out in the oddest ways. We have been very blessed on our new adventure as I am sure you will be. Think positive, believe and trust that things will work out.
Dog Folks said
01:24 AM Nov 25, 2013
I am (was) the consummate planner. I have been known to plan our vacation down to the hour and list each day on a three by five card.
I planned our retirement and going full time to the finest detail. Amazing enough, not 1/10th of all that planning came to pass. All other changes actually turned out better. So I say plan, but stay flexible. It will come true, but probably not as you planned.
Our retirement has turned out nowhere near as I planned. It turned out much different, but all in all---Better.
This lifestyle is always changing and evolving. It not static.
My wife often asks: "If i told you we would be in_____________ (Location)
doing ______________ (activity) two years ago would you believe me?" No I would have never guessed.
Plan and try to relax, it will come.
PIEERE said
03:25 AM Nov 25, 2013
Snow Gypsy and Cheryl: All will fall in place when it is suppose to! I have experienced it! As long as I have been stationary; but want to be back on the road. My most important priority is to get my health care taken care of so I may be able to get back doing the RV Thing again!
Keep following your dream; but give it time to materialize!
SnowGypsy said
03:07 PM Nov 26, 2013
Thanks Pieere, will do! And, you are in our thoughts and prayers that you should be back on the road again. Maybe we'll all be at the same campfire some night in the future.
manycats said
03:29 PM Nov 26, 2013
Cheryl, I know how scary that situation can be. Every penny of our savings has been wiped out by medical bills and we still have thousands to pay. Somehow we have survived, still live in our S&B, and continue to dream. Obviously, we can't get on the road yet, some bills just have to be paid first, however, life has strange turns and you never know what's going to happen. Maybe if you have to sell your house "as is" it may turn into the opportunity to start a new life.
I'm wondering if others over the "dreaming", planning, waiting, found that the "dream" transformed, sort of like the kids transformer toys, turning it this way and that way until the pieces fell into place? Yesterday, I decided to just give up since trying to put the "dream" together has been a struggle especially since we added our adult son with DS to the "dream". But, today, I came up with some new dynamics that would bring us back on board with the "dream". We are both 59 and if my husband takes retirement at 62, although lean, we will actually get to have some free time. Holidays are worked with this employer and everyone works at least one weekend day rather than every other weekend. So, that would be a not to be missed. We are thankful he has a job though as I saw that Mars, coming into Topeka, KS, ran a job fair and plan to hire 200 people and they received 2,000 applications. I am the paid Personal Care Assistant for our son and with working with the right people, I might be able to continue to draw those wages, not a first choice in my life and only a fraction of what I used to be paid but still it would allow us to travel, volunteer and "live". Debt-free and always frugal, this looks doable. I am sure we may have to tweak the plan again and again. Plus, today another service provider moved into town for people with needs like our son so maybe they will be a winner, probably not. The ever changing dynamics of a "dream" can kind of drive one a little over the edge on some days. So, don't give up because there is probably an answer.
sometimes as the dream grows and we get closer to it.....we begin to worry and start with the "What If's" worries.
those worries are healthy but like any worry become amplified just with our thoughts.........you cant cover all the bases.......life in most ways is no different on the road as in a S&B. Money is an issue a savings has to be in place and some type of financial support means has to be there.
the best way is to draw up a basic list of incoming and outgoing finances and see what is normal .......then remove the outgoing money that no longer will be an issue and take your basic budget left........do you have enough?
the only thing on the road that really changes is......Space.....the view.....finances
I feel that we all find our way to make it work.....whether your on the road or in a stick & brick the basics are the same
Too me it was how much effort and just how badly I wanted something or to do something! Mike said it; "Plan your finances" and what you will honestly be willing to give up! I ran by the skin of my teeth when the company I worked for downsized when I was just past my 58th Birthday; I was trying to stay until I was 62. Was fortunate had my same old trusty 1988 Cl-C I live in now. I had saved about 2,400.00 and went from Maryland to N. Carolina; settled in for a month and located site for work near Jackson MS. In May 10' I left for a small amount of pay and site/utilities in Altoona; Iowa; then in October I visited my Daughter and grands in Michigan; then in Nov. it was off to KY for work at Amazon.com. which lasted until just before Christmas and I ended down in the Mobile Al. until March and then to a Yogi Park until May 11.
I enjoyed meeting all the RVer work campers like me; some had incomes from savings and retirement; plus what they earned. I had what I earned and enjoyed the travel; but it would have been a financial nightmare if a major component broke on the MH. After doing the rounds one more time; the end of March 12' and the Heart Attack still didn't convince me I could not keep going...then in Bowling Green KY when my health got worse...I came to the conclusion that I needed to leave the work force and seek more medical care.
So here I am; not capable of doing what I used to do; trying to stay upbeat and positive some time can be a chore in it's self.
YEAH! I have a dream and keep that "CARROT" dangling in front of me. I keep from being bitter by remembering what I did do back in 1998 when I took My first Work Camp job and I was 47. I had it in my mind that I wasn't going to be the person in my 60's or 70's saying; "Man if Only I had Done That" Or I should have done it back when. I still haven't done all that I wanted and tomorrow is another day....never know what may happen!
You're not alone. We planned for 6 years, went to rallies, projected budgets, looked at 5 'ers, studied towing data, projected budgets, went to rallies, looked at motorhomes, did the diesel vs gas thing, projected budgets, researched toads, looked into health insurance, calculated our social security, bought a motorhome, projected budgets, sold our house, gave all our stuff away, retired and moved into our HOW, (House On Wheels). Lived in the HOW and workamped for four months where we had a seasonal site, and then spent another month in a nearby state park.
You'd think we had our homework done and our dream all planned out. Nah! A month into our living in our HOW, I (Paul) almost bled to death from a medical condition I have. The procedures to mitigate further bleeds are ongoing. So many things went wrong with the HOW, our toad, and the things we use to prepare for travel that we began to think maybe this wasn't the life we were supposed to live. We ask God to tell us, in no uncertain terms, if he was trying to speak to us through these circumstances, and if so, could he be clearer since we're pretty much deaf. Guess what? More things went wrong. We gave up. We were convinced we were being actively prevented from leaving.
We went as far as to look at some stix n brix to live in and actually put ernest money down on a place. Good thing we projected a budget. Turns out we couldn't afford to do anything other than live the dream. Not for five or six years anyway. So we left, and here we are, on the road. It's worth all the changes, delays, emergencies, failures and doubts.
Life is nothing if not a series of transformations. Do what you have to. Bend like a reed in the wind and you'll find your way.
PS, I grew up with a cousin with DS, and I've met some others likewise afflicted. I truly believe that God uses them to teach the rest of us what love looks like.
It does help that we have experienced expensive problems with houses. We also know multiple people who have recently gone off the road and spent a lot of money to get back into housing. Living in a house, apartment or condo is not cheap. Furnishing one is not cheap.
My dream is also constantly transforming. We started the dream in 2011. I can quote Paul up until the point of buying his HOW for everything we researched and continue to research. #1 is that we can't buy our HOW until we sell the house, and in order to do that, we need to make a lot of cosmetic repairs to make it marketable (we did explore selling as is, and wouldn't be able to make enough to pay off the mortgage).
Every time we got a little closer to getting another project finished, one more obstacle would get in the way, making us have to rethink the plans.
Even as I write this, yet another wrench has been thrown into the fire. I am about to lose my full time corporate job (which is a blessing because I started a business that I can take on the road with me, but haven't had time to devote to it). Simultaneously, my husband, who has been a freelance field consultant (and whose work has been very unreliable) was offered a full time position. Another blessing because we wouldn't have to worry about the loss of my income while I built my client base, although it would mean postponing getting on the road, as his job could not travel with him.
But now, as I write this, there is a chance that this job offer may not go through after all. This means 2 people with no income. The money we have saved to fix the house will pay the mortgage for only 2 more months. We may be faced with having to sell as is in order not to face foreclosure. And with no jobs, where could we find a place to rent? We can hope that from the sale, we can scrape enough together to find an old, rusted out (ok, maybe a little better condition) Class A, B or C -- that means transforming our dream of a condo on wheels (43' Mobile Suites with separate office space) to something with a bed over the cab, just so we have shelter.
Downright scary, but here again, I agree with Paul - I think everything we experience comes from God. I just wish we weren't so deaf either and knew what was truly meant for us. I hate having to keep changing the plans!
I was always told that you had to focus on the end result that you wanted and the rest would fall into place. That happened to us and all we knew is that we wanted to full time and retire. I just kept seeing myself traveling down the road adding more state stickers to my map. It all happened so quickly. I put the house on the market, it sold in 5 weeks. The RV we wanted, that sat in the lot for a year, was sold the day we went to buy it. Three others came in that day and we got one of those. I retired and we were on the road all within a months time after closing. Things work out in the oddest ways. We have been very blessed on our new adventure as I am sure you will be. Think positive, believe and trust that things will work out.
I planned our retirement and going full time to the finest detail. Amazing enough, not 1/10th of all that planning came to pass. All other changes actually turned out better. So I say plan, but stay flexible. It will come true, but probably not as you planned.
Our retirement has turned out nowhere near as I planned. It turned out much different, but all in all---Better.
This lifestyle is always changing and evolving. It not static.
My wife often asks: "If i told you we would be in_____________ (Location)
doing ______________ (activity) two years ago would you believe me?" No I would have never guessed.
Plan and try to relax, it will come.
Keep following your dream; but give it time to materialize!
Wishing you the best,
Dyana